


floating

by BoyFromJupiter



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: After the suffering games, M/M, Magnus tries to figure stuff out, cheesy stuff, in a fictional future bubble, the boys have emotions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-22
Updated: 2017-02-22
Packaged: 2018-09-26 04:49:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9863624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BoyFromJupiter/pseuds/BoyFromJupiter
Summary: Magnus throws some weight off of his shoulders. Merle snores. Taako does things with his ears.In a fictional space after the events of the Suffering Games, the two boys find eachother in the dead of night. They have a moment, not much is said.





	

Ashes fell from a pale sky. Like a cruel mockery of early snow the gray flocks were slowly sinking down onto the scorched and blackened remains of what not so long ago had been an extraordinary, flourishing town. Rubble, stones and piles of still smoking wood were lining up row after row like miserable mountains and only specks of former life remained amongst them. Smoldering books, faint shapes of furniture. 

Splintered porcelain cracked beneath his boots as he wandered through the desolated corpse of his home like a ghost. Was it the smoke that was burning his eyes or was it tears? Was the poisoned air setting his throat on fire or had he screamed himself raw? He did not know. Why was he back in this hell, in this gray, godforsaken place? He did not know. 

But he knew what would happen. Because nothing ever changed in this limbo, every detail, yet so perfectly and cruelly preserved in the amber of his own mind, was absolutely unredeemable. The tragedy was set in stone and all he could do was look on and be the audience of his own pain.

His feet carried him along the way like running on rails. The path was already laid out in front of him, but it did not take the edge of the ache that filled his whole body when he once more laid his eyes upon what had once been…once been a house that he had built with his own two hands. He only recognized it because of the intricate carvings in one of the burned, fallen beams that was laying in front of mounds of debris.   
Her name rang from his lips right then and there, vanishing into the roaring silence of the open sky above him. Again and again he cried out, but he was answered by nothing. Life had left this place and had taken every last one of them along, leaving nothing behind except him. Blinded by tears he stumbled ahead, climbing over rocks and collapsed walls, leaving his hands and arms pitch black with soot, but he did not care. Nothing mattered anymore, nothing at all.   
Finally, standing in the midst of what had once been his house, every last speck of numbness fell off of him and replaced itself with an all consuming maelstrom of torment. All was gone. All of them. And it would always be there, repeat itself, inside of his own mind, inside of his soul. All was gone.  
His knees gave in beneath his body, clouds of dust and ash rose into the air from where he hit the ground. He started to dig his hands into the burning grounds, crushing his knuckles into the still living embers, pulling, ripping at the wood. He had to, he had to find…   
Pain started eating away at his skin, more and more, burning, burning, burning…

Magnus woke with a violent jolt. He was covered in cold sweat and his left hand was on fire, something seemed to be digging itself into his flesh and following the most feral instinct he reached out and pulled in panic. A metallic clinking noise followed and then the flames seemed to die down as he clutched his own hand against his heaving chest.  
Tangled in his blanket and disoriented in the dark, he gasped for air, propped up into a hunched, sitting position. Unmoving. Blackness pressed itself against his eyes, the thundering noise of his own heart was the only thing he could hear in this moment. His whole body was shaking.

Why. Why again and again. Ten years more and it is still…

The minutes he spent sitting there felt like hours to the fighter, he was frozen in time, outside of any kind of existence…but eventually, very slowly, he stretched an arm and reached for his nightstand to the left. His clammy fingers needed a few tries but then he found the familiar surface of a crystalline lump reality and the mineral reacted to his touch instantly, lighting up with a soft, warm glow, chasing the darkness from the room. Magnus, numb and shaken, left his hand on the crystal for a while, staring at the iridescent surface with wide, empty eyes. It had been a present from Merle for his last birthday. After a while he started to unfold his body and then slowly pushed himself out of his tangled sheets, putting both his feet on the hard wood floor. Grounding.   
It was probably around four in the morning, still pitch black outside and completely silent. He was used to having nightmares but it had been a while since the last one and this one had been… unusually vivid. Slowly, he rubbed his face and then groaned, realizing what he had done just before. With a slight sting of panic, the fighter got up, scanning the floor next to his bed and eventually found what he was looking for, just in front of his big wardrobe.   
It was a ring, big and golden but otherwise plain. It sat on the dark floor, shining softly in the crystal light. Magnus stared at it for a while and then slowly picked it up, almost afraid to burn himself, but the metal was cold to the touch. With trouble deeply engraved on his face, the fighter turned the golden band between his fingers, rubbing its surface, feeling the smallest little scratches in it.   
He had worn it for so long.

Magnus' dearest memento had used to be a source of solace in trying times, a beacon of fond memories and a reminder of duty. A task right at his most literal hand, pushing him on and on, but ever since they had returned from this cursed place things were different. There was a blind spot in his mind. A fire had been extinguished. A voice had fallen silent.  
Magnus sensed more and more that something was not the same anymore. The ring seemed to weight heavy on him, the metal digging into his skin like a noose around his neck. And it was scary. He didn't want that, he didn't want any of this. He didn't want those emotions inside of himself, those ideas and new views. Feelings were so terribly hard for him. Working with wood had taught him patience and precision, working on complex detail for hour upon hour was something he loved. But for all he tried, he failed to use any of these talents on himself. Picking at his own mind felt like getting tangled up in an intricately woven net of mystery and painful thoughts and he deemed it to be ultimately useless - and exactly that kept him from realizing many things about himself. His feelings about his past, about her had not changed, but there was something new in his life, a blossoming whisper of an idea and while it was exciting, it was also scary. 

He closed his hand, tight, clenching it to a fist, trying to focus on the feeling of the golden shape digging into his skin. But he felt something else instead, clear as day and vibrant right down to his bones. Gentle, warm fingers grabbing his palm, grabbing his arm, pulling at him with all their might, pulling at him with a force that wiped out anything that had been before.   
And with those fingers he had felt something like deep waters, an endless ocean opening up before him, a system of a million flickering lights, thoughts trailing after one another, wild and unsorted and bright. Thoughts that were not his own. They were foreign, like a different plane of reality and yet they felt familiar in the most curious way. He had felt so much…and had been dragged back into the light, into the warmth, away from the dark nothingness and the cold void at his feet. Back to life. The sensation was still there, right beyond his fingertips even though it had been two weeks since then. Just thinking of it made him feel dizzy. When he focused on it, he could recall the sensation, it was like a silver thread pulling him to an unknown destination. But he could not let go of the things he had been clinging to so long, could he? He could not throw himself into the arms of the unknown, not in this context. He could not betray her like that. And so Magnus' mind slipped into the only pattern that seemed to be right in this situation: Self-punishment.

Slowly he opened his fist again. The ring had left a mark in his flesh, imprinting itself in his body. He had not felt anything.

He hadn't left his room too often since they had returned from Wonderland, needing time for himself, to think and recollect his thoughts about his altered existence and new mindset, but the all too familiar space made him feel constricted after his dream, so he changed into a dry shirt and was already about the leave the room before he hesitated. No one would be out there. It was the middle of the night. He turned around and gently placed the ring onto the nightstand, then he left.

The hallway leading towards their living room and kitchen was short and covered in a soft carpet, muffling his slow steps. Holding the glowing crystal clutched tightly in his hand to light his way, he stopped at Merle's room for a second, listening to the dwarf's snoring behind the closed door, then he moved on. The living room was painted in dim silver, lit only by the soft light of the real moon and Magnus was already halfway across it on the way to the open kitchen, when he noticed the silhouette of someone standing in front of the windows, looking outside. His heart almost jumped out of his chest for two seconds before he realized that he was looking at Taako.   
The elf seemed to have sensed him somehow, at least his ears twitched ever so slightly and then he turned around to Magnus. His big dark eyes reflected the light from the crystal, shining silver and gold like a cat's for only a moment until the elf turned his head to another angle and the eerie, surreal light disappeared again. They hadn't seen each other in a few days, both shaken from the events, both retreating to lick their wounds, only ghosts passing each other in the hallway every now and then. But this here was different. The room between them was open and wide and silent.   
Taako's hair was up in a messy bun, he was wearing shorts and a shirt so big that it touched his thighs in the back and had been tied in the front to fit better. Magnus knew that it was one of his, but he didn't say anything. The wizard looked tired somehow.   
"Up late, huh?", Magnus finally asked, feeling a little clumsy.   
Taako huffed and shrugged, leaning against the window frame in his back as if to seek for support.   
"Yup. And you, hombre? Having some late night munchies? I'll have send you to the slammer if you raid my kitchen again, you know that, right?"  
Magnus snorted a little and then slowly walked around the couch, setting down the glowing crystal on the coffee table at its side before sitting down on one of the arm rests, stretching his feet out on the rug.   
"I just woke up and didn't feel like going to sleep again. Don't worry, your precious ingredients are safe. For now."  
He yawned a little and rubbed at the back of his neck, feeling strangely insecure in front of the elf - which was ridiculous. They knew each other very well by now.  
Taako nodded at that, fiddling around with his shirt, sticking to the spot he was standing on, then he lifted his shoulder in something like an attempted shrug and he made a few steps to the right, hesitantly.  
"Well, my man, it's like super late, like you said. I think I'm gonna bounce. This elf right here needs some beauty sleep. I mean at least one of us needs to keep up the standards, right? So I'm just gonna-" Taako moved to walk away and before Magnus really knew why and how he had already opened his mouth.  
"It's been a while, Taako."  
The other stopped dead in his tracks. His ears did that thing that made Magnus stomach tie into the tightest knot, they twitched so hard that his earrings made faint little sounds.  
There was something in the air, it felt like high voltage, an impossible tension, crackling almost. It made the hair on the back of Magnus' neck stand up. It pulled at his bones, a gentle tug, familiar and warm. His left hand started to tingle. He wanted to say more. Anything. He wanted to ask about what had happened on the aethereal plane, what had happened between them. But no words would wrap themselves around the topic right…  
After what felt like a small forever, Taako reclaimed his spot by the window and stared at Magnus, his eyes again flickering like polished metal for a heartbeat. Cat eyes. Nervous, waiting.   
"You totally missed me, you big softie. That's so cheesy."  
Taako aimed for snarky but he missed big time and Magnus was able to tell. There was a insecure little shake in his voice, the slightest hint of bitterness. Another shiver traveled through his muscles, a breeze of this inexplicable energy.  
"Yeah…", he added then, softer all of the sudden. Softer in his voice and his face and…  
"It's…been a while."

Retreating into their rooms had been the only solution upon returning to the moon, parting ways, prying their emotions apart, but it had only served as a fleeting comfort. Magnus had thought that he'd be able to shake off the effects of their connection with just enough time. Some sleep, some work, some runs. Distance to the other to air out his mind and bury those things in the yard of mysterious and unwelcomed feelings. But. But nothing of the strange energy had worn off, it hadn't lost any of its former edge. It was always there, like a faint ringing in his ear - he was able to tune it out but as soon as silence and peace fell over him it was present, almost tangible around him. And now, standing face to face with him again…  
Did Taako feel the same? Was it easier on him because magic came natural to him, like breathing to any other creature? Magnus had asked Merle about the moment he had pulled the two of them back to reality and the dwarf hadn't seemed to be affected in any way, hadn't had any answers.   
It was only Magnus and Taako…

They looked at each other now, warmth and cold flickering between them.  
Nervously, Magnus slid his feet over the floor, pushing the rug in the process, exposing a small part of the big, round, glass window that had been hidden beneath. Right, Taako had covered that thing up right upon moving in here.   
"Hah…", he mumbled, more to himself than to the wizard. "Totally forgot about that…"  
"What, this glassy hell hole abomination that is sin to any kind of constructional logic and…Maggs, what are you doing? No, don't-"  
Magnus had gotten up and started to pull the rug off of the circular opening in the parquet. The view through the thick glass was absolutely overwhelming. The air was clear tonight, not a single cloud was disturbing the truly surreal landscape beneath them. It looked like a painting. A flow of blue and black, hills and woods, and amongst the velvet plains there were lights upon lights. In some places they were only little specks, but in others they crowded together, balls of flickering gold like someone had sprinkled a hand full of stars on earth, forming new galaxies. Stepping closer to the edge of wood to glass, Magnus stared down at the marvelous display.  
"Taako, you gotta to see this."  
"Yeah, no. Imma pass."   
Magnus looked up and saw the elf, pressing himself against the windows at his back, trying to act casual but the wave of glistening, ice crystal fear that swept over Magnus and pooled into his own stomach was a dead giveaway. The surprise showed clearly on his face.  
"You…you walk on different planes of existence, transmutate yourself and face off against all kinds of deadly nonsense but you're afraid of heights?"  
The fighter was not trying to ridicule the wizard, in fact, his voice sounded soft and careful in the silence of the room - but that seemed to set off the elf even more than any mockery would have managed to do. The dark, beautiful eyes sparked with fury and Taako let go of the windowsill just long enough to point his finger at Magnus. Someone did not like to be read like that.  
"Well, so what, Mr. 'I-rush-into-every-bullshit-I-see'! I bet you are also afraid of stuff!"  
Oh, he was. Oh, how afraid he was of so many things.  
"I am.", he stated simply and then held out a hand. His arm stretched quite a bit over the window in the floor but did not reach the other side. It was the same hand, his left hand. A hand bare of a ring.  
Taako stared at Magnus, his wide eyes flickering back and forth between his face and his outstretched arm, expression changing between anger and confusion.   
"You walked over this rug a million times, Taako."  
The gears were clearly turning in this beautiful head, there was no magical connection needed to realize that, but eventually, he made a small step forward, putting his naked foot carefully onto the firm floor.   
"This is ridiculous, just for the record!"  
Carefully, inch after inch, the elf worked his way towards the glass covered opening in the floor and then slowly lifted a hand, holding it out for Magnus. He was too short to reach the fighter's palm without leaving the safety of the parquet behind and he realized that very quickly. His courage seemed to falter and his lips parted in a nervous huff, something that didn't even pass as a laugh with all the fantasy in the world.  
"This is bullshit. Cheesy, ass bullshit."  
Magnus didn't say anything, just looked on and kept his position, unmoving. If he opened his mouth now he'd falter. The courage would escape from his lips like hot air. Because his heart was racing and the hand by his side was clenched into a fist. And he could feel the arcane power between their bodies like the pulse of a big, third heart connection both their systems. Their souls.

Taako, while clearly terribly unnerved by the situation and still muttering profanities under his breath, also seemed to be moved by some strange force, determined for a reason that was a mystery to Magnus. His brows were tightly knit together, his eyes alight with troubled emotions and the moonlight turned the curls that had broken loose from his bun into a surreal, lavender halo. It was one of the most wonderful things the fighter had ever seen.  
And then many things happened at once.   
Taako set a foot onto the glass, careful as if walking on paper.  
His eyes turned wide and his mouth opened into a silent 'oh.'  
Their hands connected.

He had forgotten how warm Taako's hands were. It always seemed like there was a fire burning right beneath his skin, fueling him in the most curious way, leaving every inch of him radiant and glowing with heat and brilliance. It felt as if he was touching a star. Things seemed to shift back into place, slipped into their fated position. The ringing in Magnus' head was silenced.   
"Shit. Shit.", he heard the elf mutter and he felt fingers close around his palm, so hard that it hurt, but he didn't mind, no. It was just the way it was supposed to be. He didn't know if the reaction was due to panic or because of the strong effect of their touch.  
"I hate you, Magnus Burnsides. You hear that? This is crap. I hate you, I-"  
"Look down."  
Taako fell silent. His ears pointed up in shocked alert and he did not take his eyes off of the man in front of him. Magnus slowly stepped closer, now standing on the glass with both of his feet.  
"I got you. Look down."  
Two heartbeats that lasted forever and Magnus could feel all of it on his skin. The trust, earned by so much hardship, by pain and work. Slowly, the wizard lowered his head, strands of lavender hair falling over his forehead in the process and he looked down. His inhale filled the room.  
"Fuck."

They were standing above a world that was miles away, ages away. The blinking lights were stars, other worlds, not touching them in the slightest. And somehow…it was soothing to Magnus. Somewhere down there were the remains of Raven's Roost. Somewhere down there were the old worries, the old ache. But they were afloat so high and far away. Everything was so small compared to them. They stood there, together and stared down on the world, breathing, floating. The energy was flowing freely now, traveling through their palms, their muscles, nerves.   
It was peaceful, more peaceful than anything any of them had had in a long time. 

"Have you ever thought about what you'll do after all of this?", he asked after a while. Taako was still staring down frightened but also fascinated, but as Magnus spoke he looked up to meet his eyes.  
"What do you mean?"  
"I mean…this here…is not a deal forever, is it. The missions, the bureau."  
"Well, old man, I got a brand to revive. Gotta make that sweet sweet fantasy cash and get filthy rich, so I never ever have to see any of this fucked up nonsense we have been dealing with again.", Taako said slowly, shrugging a little, but still clinging to Magnus' hand for dear life.   
"Sounds like an exciting plan."  
Magnus looked down on the thousands and thousands of lights beneath their feet and he felt that Taako's hand slowly relaxed around his own, his grip turning more and more gentle, the fear draining out of him like water. Their fingers tangling together, softly shifting, fitting into each other so perfectly. It was an idea, blossoming, peeking out beneath rubble and ashes. Taako peeked at the human next to himself, studying his face, his eyes that reflected the lights on earth. Then looked down on their conjoined hands. There was no ring on Magnus' finger.   
There was so much ahead. So much waiting. Lurking. It was very likely that they would never find their rest, never able to lay down their duty, always running, always struggling to keep those lights down there bright and living. It was very likely that not much time was left on either of their clocks. But it didn't matter now, in the dead of night. Nothing mattered.   
All was down there, far off.  
"I could always use a hardworking, trusty assistant, you know? Can't do all of it by myself. I mean I'm amazing, but an elf only got twenty-four hours in a day."   
The fighter looked up and they stared at each other for a while. Taako's eyes shimmered silver, light living behind the dark of his pupils, like little stars trapped inside of him.  
"I think, I'd like that.", Magnus said.   
Taako nodded. They stood there for much longer. At one point the elf's head slowly sunk against the fighter's chest. They did not speak another word.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading. Find me on tumblr! this-artist-rushes-in.tumblr.com


End file.
